Apparatus for dumping cars



. (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. B. WILSON. APPARATUS FOR DUMPING GARS.

Patentedl Ju'ns 21, l18.92.

*nu nofws paens co., Immo-umn., wAsmNa-rou n c E. B. WILSON. APPARATUS FOB DUMPING GARS.

2' Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

Patented June 21," 1892.

ATENT Fries,

EUGENE B. VILSON, OF MILFORD, CONNECTICUT.

APPARATUS FOR DUVIPING CARS.

SPECIFICATION :forming` part of Letters Patent No. 477,396, dated June 21, 1892.

Application filed June 8, 1891. Serial No. 395,489. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EUGENE B. VILSON, of Milford, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement in Apparatus for Dumping Railway-Cars; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and eX- act description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, aviewin side elevation of a dumping apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2, a view thereof in end elevation; Fig. 3, a broken plan view showing the mounting of one of the pulleys on which the ropes for operating the top supports run.

My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for dumping freight-cars, the object being to provide simple and easily-handled means for removing the entire contents of a car at one operation.

Tith these ends in view my invention consists in a rotatable cage adapted to receive an entire car and to be adjusted to the same and having certain details of construction vand combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

As herein shown, the main frame-work of the cage is formed by live large flanged wheels A, made in any suitable manner, but preferably eomposed of plates of wrought-iron riveted together and reinforced by an inside frame-work (not shown) of wood. Each of these wheels is internally braced by eight pairs of parallel braces, preferably in the form of wrought-iron girders and comprising a'pair of upper horizontal braces B, a pair of lower horizontal braces B', two pairs of perpendicular side braces C C, two pairs of upper oblique braces D D, and two corresponding pairs of lower braces D' D'. These braces, as before explained, are riveted to the wheels and also together where they cross each other. The wheels so constructed and internally braced are tied together by independent sets of hori zontal ties, of which there is a set between the respective wheels. As herein shown, each set of horizontal ties consists of an upper pair of ties E, a lower pair of ties E', and two side pairs F F, the said pairs being arranged at equal distances apart, and therefore at the quarterin gs of the wheels. They are made in any suitable manner, but preferably consist of heavy wrought-iron girders. I would have it understood, however, that l do not limit myself to any particular mode of constructing or bracing the wheels or of securing them together; but the means I have shown will 6o secure satisfactory results. The cage so constructed is supported by the flanged exterior faces of its wheels upon two horizontal series of driving-wheels G G, secured to shafts G' G', mounted in bearings G2, secured to cross- 65 beams H, resting upon stringers I, attached to upright posts J. Power for rotating the shafts G' G' is transmitted to them in any convenient manner, but not shown herein. The lower pair of braces B' of the respective 7o wheels support two stringers K K, extending throughout the length of the cage and secured in place byangle-platesK' K', rails L L being 'mounted upon the respective stringere, so that when the cage is in its normal position they -will exactly align with corresponding rails M M', located at the opposite ends of the cage, and between which it maybe said to beinterposed. It will be readily understood from this that when the cage is in its normal posi- 8o tion a car may be run from the track into it and also out of it at the other end.

For the purpose of holding the car against lateral displacement vwhile it is in the cage each of the large wheels is provided with top and lateralsupports. These may assume different formsn; but, as herein shown, each of the lateral supports consists of a block N, mounted upon the inner end of a screw N', working in a nut N2, bolted to the adjacent 9o pair of upright side bracesCC, the said screw being provided with a hand-Wheel N3 for operating it and supported at its outer end in a bearing N4, attached to the inner periphery of the wheel. It will be readily understood that by turning the wheel N3 the block N may be moved toward or away from the center of the cage. As herein shown, the top support of each Wheel consists of a girder O, arranged horizontally between the upper ends of the Ico braces of the two pairs C C of upright side braces, the said ends of said braces being provided with a Vertical series of perforations c to receive locking-pins c', Fig. l, which also pass through suitable perforations formed in the ends of the said girder for holding the same in its adjusted positions. Provision may be made for raising and lowering these girders independently or simultaneously. As herein shown, they are all connected together' by ropes or cables O', terminating in a cable O2, common to them all and wound upon a drum O3, which when operated raises or lowers all of the girders, according to the direc'- tion in which it is turned. The ropes or cables O run over pulleys O4, mounted, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings, between the upper pairs of longitudinal ties, which connect the respective wheels to gether.

For the purpose of directing the contents of the cars into the receptacles placed below the cage to receive them I employ two long fenderplates PP, which are attached to the inner faces of the upper pairs of oblique braces D D of the respective wheels.

, In using my improved cage a loaded car is run into it and secured in place by having the side and top supports adjusted to engage with itssidesandtop. Aftertheseadjustmentshave been made the cage is rotated through the driving-shafts before mentioned, whereby the entire contents of the car are displaced, being directed into the receptacle designed for them by a chute formed by the two fender-plates mentioned. When the cage has made a quarter-turn, the main weight of the car will be thrown upon those pairs of the upright side bracesC of the wheels which are carried underneath by the rotation of the cage and the side supports of the said pairs of braces. When the cage has made a half-turn, the weight of the car will be carried by the girders forming the adjustable top supports of the several wheels. rotation of the cage is continued until it has been brought to its normal position, when the rails carried by it will be aligned with the stationary track-rails M M. Then the side and top supports of the wheels are disengaged from the car and the same r'un out ofthe cage. I am thus enabled to unload heavy cars with great dispatch and with a comparatively slight expenditure of power and labor. The adaptation of the cage to be adjusted to cars of different sizes makes it very comprehensive in its range of usefulness.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations therein as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention. I am aware, however, thatadumpin g apparatus consisting of a cage or crib adapted to have a car run into it and then to 'be rotated to bodily invert the car and so discharge its contents is old, and I do not broadly claim such a construction.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

After the car has been emptied the l traces l. In an apparatusfor dumping freight-cars, a cage composed of ahorzontal series of large vertically-arranged wheels, horizontal ties 1nterposed between and attached to the wheels to bind them together, horizontal, vertical,

' and oblique braces located within the wheels for stiffening them, a section of a railway located within and extending throughout the length of the cage and supported upon the lower horizontal ties of the wheels, adjustable side supports mounted within the wheels 1n the braces thereof for engagement with the sides of the car run into the cage, adjustable top supports located within the cage near .the upper edges of the wheels and constituting horizontal guides, means for fastening the ends of the said guides to the braces of the wheels, and a chute located within the cage center of the central upper point of the wheels, in combination with means for supporting and rotating the cage, substantially as described.

2. An apparatus for dumping railway-cars, consisting of a cage composed of ahorizontal series of large wheels arranged vertically and tied together and braced and containing adjustablc side and top supports for securing the car in place and means for lifting the top supports simultaneously, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for dumping freight-cars,

, a cage consisting of ahorizontal series of large wheels arranged vertically, horizontal ties interposed between and attached to the wheels to bind them together, horizontal, vertical, and oblique braces located within said wheels, a section of a railway extending throughout the length of the cage and located within and near the lower edges of the said wheels, independently-adjustable side and top supports located within the wheels and combined with the braces thereof, the said top supports consisting of vertically-movable horizontal girders, fastening devices for securing the ends of the said girders to the upper ends of the vertical braces, and means located abo-ve the said girders for lifting them, in combination with means for supporting and rotating the said cage.

4. In an apparatus for dumping railwaycars, a cage composed of a horizontal series of vertically-arranged large wheels, horizontal ties interposed between and attached to the wheels to bind themtogether, internal braces for the respective wheels, a section of a railway located within the cage near the lower edges of the said wheels, independently-adjustable side and top supports located within the wheels for engagement with the sides and top of a car when itis in the cage, and fenderplates located within the cage near the upper edges of the wheels and inclined toward each other to form an open chute, in combin nation with means for supporting and rotating the wheels, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for dumping railwayy and having its sides converging toward the IOO IIO

cars, a cage composed of a horizontal series of vertically-arranged wheels, four pairs of horizontal ties interposed between and attached to the wheels at equidistant pointsin the cir-` eumferenees of the same to bind them together, a pair of upper and lower horizontal braces, two pairs of perpendicular braces, a pair of upper oblique braces and a pair of lower oblique braces for internally bracing each wheel, a section of railway supported by the lower horizontal braces of the several wheels, adjustable side supports for engagement with the sides ofthe car in the cage and vertically-adjustable girders for engagement with the top of the car, and means for attachwheels upon-which the large wheels rest and by which the cage is rotated, substantially as `set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this speciiication in the presence of two subscrib- -ing witnesses.

EUGENE B. WILSON.

Witnesses: y

FRANK RIDER, ALFRED REDDINGTON. 

